Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chandler, AZ and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chandler, AZ: $2,773 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Chandler, AZ
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Chandler, AZ Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Chandler, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,773

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chandler, AZ and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chandler, AZ and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,773 in Chandler, AZ versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Chandler, AZ $2,773
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,994 in Chandler, AZ versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Chandler, AZ $3,994
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,214 in Chandler, AZ versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Chandler, AZ $5,214
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Chandler, AZ costs roughly 12% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chandler, AZ 105% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.17 $15.17

$20.65 $20.65

-26.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 $61.4

$90.2 $90.2

-31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 $10.94

$12.94 $12.94

-15.46%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$5.60 $5.60

-17.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.64 $2.64

2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.27 $2.27

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.98 $6.98

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$8.83 $8.83

-18.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.27 $1.27

-33.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.80 $3.80

-11.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.30 $5.30

-38.30%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$4.76 $4.76

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$13.96 $13.96

-3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$14.61 $14.61

-23.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 $16.82

$18.77 $18.77

-10.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$5.19 $5.19

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.98 $1.98

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.93 $3.93

-15.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.96 $4.96

-27.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.76 $2.76

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.76 $2.76

-21.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.22 $2.22

-42.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.98 $2.98

-52.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.68 $10.68

$14.02 $14.02

-23.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 $13.27

$15.28 $15.28

-13.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.58 $2.58

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.50 $3.50

-44.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.47 $2.47

62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$74.8 $74.8

41.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.34 $3.34

-18.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.43 $1.43

-2.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.12 $29.12

$24.32 $24.32

19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.26 $1.26

-9.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 $196

$193 $193

1.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.31 $44.31

$68.3 $68.3

-35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$61.3 $61.3

14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.44 $31.44

$54.1 $54.1

-41.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 $14.78

$27.92 $27.92

-47.06%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 $10.86

$17.74 $17.74

-38.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,108 $1,108

$1,652 $1,652

-32.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

-48.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 $49.73

$66.1 $66.1

-24.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.08 $44.08

$51.2 $51.2

-13.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$100 $100

-12.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$141 $141

-17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$2,446 $2,446

-35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$1,678 $1,678

-9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$4,717 $4,717

-49.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,500 $2,500

$2,795 $2,795

-10.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,623 $3,623

$4,105 $4,105

-11.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,386 $3,386

$2,650 $2,650

27.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,012 $5,012

$4,866 $4,866

3.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.81

-7.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chandler, AZ: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chandler, AZ

$1.5K 54.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 10.5% $160

Groceries & Markets

Chandler, AZ

$354 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 26.8% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chandler, AZ

$311 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 3.7% $11

Eating Out

Chandler, AZ

$271 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 26.6% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Chandler, AZ

$134 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 20.4% $27

Getting Around

Chandler, AZ

$132 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 27.8% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Chandler, AZ

$53 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 68.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,568 in Chandler, AZ and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chandler, AZ pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Chandler, AZ vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $449 per month, with Chandler, AZ cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chandler, AZ

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

07:32 7:32 AM

2 h ahead of Chandler, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,631

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chandler, AZ Chicago, IL 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chandler, AZ
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chandler, AZ vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chandler, AZ is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Chandler, AZ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,568 in Chandler, AZ versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chandler, AZ – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Chandler, AZ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Chandler, AZ is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Chandler, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.